Cited by 1,950Gut microbiota and healthInfant Nutrition and HealthProbiotics and Fermented Foods

The first microbial colonizers of the human gut: composition, activities, and health implications of the infant gut microbiota

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Milani, Christian, Duranti, Sabrina, Bottacini, Francesca, Casey, Eoghan, Turroni, Francesca, Mahony, Jennifer, Belzer, Clara, Delgado Palacio, Susana +10 more·2017·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews

Abstract

SUMMARY: The human gut microbiota is engaged in multiple interactions affecting host health during the host's entire life span. Microbes colonize the neonatal gut immediately following birth. The establishment and interactive development of this early gut microbiota are believed to be (at least partially) driven and modulated by specific compounds present in human milk. It has been shown that certain genomes of infant gut commensals, in particular those of bifidobacterial species, are genetically adapted to utilize specific glycans of this human secretory fluid, thus representing a very intriguing example of host-microbe coevolution, where both partners are believed to benefit. In recent years, various metagenomic studies have tried to dissect the composition and functionality of the infant gut microbiome and to explore the distribution across the different ecological niches of the infant gut biogeography of the corresponding microbial consortia, including those corresponding to bacteria and viruses, in healthy and ill subjects. Such analyses have linked certain features of the microbiota/microbiome, such as reduced diversity or aberrant composition, to intestinal illnesses in infants or disease states that are manifested at later stages of life, including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and metabolic disorders. Thus, a growing number of studies have reported on how the early human gut microbiota composition/development may affect risk factors related to adult health conditions. This concept has fueled the development of strategies to shape the infant microbiota composition based on various functional food products. In this review, we describe the infant microbiota, the mechanisms that drive its establishment and composition, and how microbial consortia may be molded by natural or artificial interventions. Finally, we discuss the relevance of key microbial players of the infant gut microbiota, in particular bifidobacteria, with respect to their role in health and disease.

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Crossref · 10.1128/mmbr.00036-17

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  • The formation of intestinal microbiota during childhood is a key factor in the development of human diseases, such as allergies, neurological disorders and obesity.

    “The formation of intestinal microbiota during childhood is believed to be a key factor in the development of human diseases, such as allergies, neurological disorders and obesity (2–4)”

    From Kefir and Intestinal Microbiota Modulation: Implications in Human Health (2021) · cites this paper as [3]

    The Allergy section (p. 31) links infant gut microbiota development to later allergic disease, and Metabolic Disorders (p. 33) says factors affecting its establishment may contribute to later obesity risk. Our copy does not link childhood microbiota formation to neurological disorders; its mention of brain developmental programming (p. 33) concerns obesity. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Dysbiosis and other determinants of intestinal microbiota formation in childhood, such as birth via cesarean section or formula feeding, are associated with a higher risk of developing obesity, both in child and adulthood.

    “Dysbiosis and other determinants of intestinal microbiota formation in childhood, such as birth via cesarean section or formula feeding, are associated with a higher risk of developing obesity, both in child and adulthood (3, 68).”

    From Kefir and Intestinal Microbiota Modulation: Implications in Human Health (2021) · cites this paper as [3]

    The Metabolic Disorders section (p. 33) links early-life microbiota disturbances, nutrition, and delivery mode with later obesity; the discussion of delivery mode (p. 11) specifically associates cesarean birth with higher obesity incidence. It also reports obesity in children and adults in connection with early antibiotic exposure (p. 33). The passages found do not specifically link formula feeding to increased obesity risk, so that example is not supported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The development of diabetes mellitus is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation.

    “The development of diabetes mellitus is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation.”

    From Kefir and Intestinal Microbiota Modulation: Implications in Human Health (2021) · cites this paper as [3]

    The section “Other Long-Lasting Effects of the Infant Gut Microbiota” (p. 34) says that early microbiota perturbations may create a proinflammatory environment that facilitates autoimmune disease, in its discussion of type 1 diabetes. It does not characterize this as low-grade chronic inflammation or extend the association to diabetes mellitus generally. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • Changes in intestinal permeability, favored by an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota, encourage low-grade chronic inflammation, leading to systemic insulin resistance and diabetes.

    “Changes in intestinal permeability, which are favored by an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota, encourage the occurrence of this inflammation, which leads to resistance to systemic insulin, with consequent development of diabetes (3, 75).”

    From Kefir and Intestinal Microbiota Modulation: Implications in Human Health (2021) · cites this paper as [3]

    The Metabolic Disorders section (p. 33) links intestinal-barrier function and early-life microbiota disruption to metabolic health, and reports insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes after microbiota alteration in mouse studies. The Other Long-Lasting Effects section (p. 34) says infant microbiota perturbations may create a proinflammatory environment relevant to type 1 diabetes. Neither passage establishes the claimed sequence in which dysbiosis increases intestinal permeability, causing chronic inflammation that leads to systemic insulin resistance and diabetes; the paper also cautions that a causal link in humans remains to be established. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Factors affecting the formation of intestinal microbiota, such as maternal health during pregnancy, birth via cesarean section, use of antibiotics during childhood, and intestinal dysbiosis in childhood, are related to the development of diabetes.

    “In addition, factors that affect the formation of the intestinal microbiota—such as maternal health during pregnancy, birth via cesarean section, the use of antibiotics during childhood, and the presence of intestinal dysbiosis in childhood—are also related to the development of diabetes (3).”

    From Kefir and Intestinal Microbiota Modulation: Implications in Human Health (2021) · cites this paper as [3]

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. [59]59. Browne HP, Forster SC, Anonye BO, Kumar N, Neville BA, Stares MD, Goulding D, Lawley TD. 2016. Culturing of 'unculturable' human microbiota reveals novel taxa and extensive sporulation. Nature 533:543. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17645. · DOI · Paper page
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Authors
Milani, C., Duranti, S., Bottacini, F., Casey, E., Turroni, F., Mahony, J., Belzer, C., Delgado Palacio, S., Arboleya Montes, S., Mancabelli, L., Lugli, G. A., Rodriguez, J. M., Bode, L., de Vos, W., Gueimonde, M., Margolles, A., van Sinderen, D., & Ventura, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Parma (IT)
  • National University of Ireland (IE)
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
  • Departamento de Microbiologia y Bioquimica de Productos Lacteos, IPLA-CSIC, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
  • Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Food Technology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
  • APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
Venue
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews
Published
2017-12
Volume
81
Issue
4
ISSN
  • 1092-2172 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-5557
OpenAlex
W2767360135
Cited by
1,950
References
552
Citations by year
2026: 165 · 2025: 247 · 2024: 285 · 2023: 268 · 2022: 288 · 2021: 290 · 2020: 246 · 2019: 107 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 4
FWCI
10.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
  • Arrow@dit (Dublin Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • Cork Open Research Archive (University College Cork, Ireland) (submittedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Science Foundation Ireland (SFI/12/RC/2273, 15/SIRG/3430)
  • Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca
  • Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PCIN-2015-233, AGL2016-75476-R)
  • Danone
  • EU Joint Programming Initiative “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life”
  • Spanish Plan Estatal de I+D+I (AGL2016-78311-R)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Keywords
infant gut microbiota, neonatal gut colonization, breast milk, Bifidobacterium, host-microbe coevolution, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders, functional foods, microbiota modulation
MeSH terms
Infant Health, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Whole Genome Sequencing, Breast Feeding, Female, Humans, Immune System, Infant, Intestinal Diseases, Maternal-Fetal Exchange, Milk, Human, Pregnancy, Symbiosis, Biomarkers, Probiotics, Gastrointestinal Tract

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